Forum - View topicUglymug, Epicfighter (TV).
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Edjwald
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Uglymug, Epicfighter (TV) Source: Web Novel (completed by Ryō Hiromatsu) Demographic: Seinen Animation Studio: White Fox Genres: action, adventure, comedy, fantasy Themes: isekai, medieval, sorcery, superpowers Plot Summary: His looks are -255, touching girls causes him pain, and sexual acts will literally tear him apart. Just what can our ex-salesman Shigeru get in the other world in exchange for such inconveniences... This is an epic tale of one very ugly, but ridiculously strong man. Air Date & Platform: July 06, 2025 (Sunday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff edited. -TK] Last edited by Edjwald on Tue Jul 01, 2025 3:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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smurky turkey
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Eh, this has the potential to be very mean spirited and I hope it is not.
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 25599 |
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Episode 1
It doesn't seem like it'll be mean-spirited, smurky. Anyway, I liked it. Unlike my feeling with The Water Magician where it seemed like the MC's life on Earth was unimportant, here it is not. I'd also like to see some background on Uglymug's three companions, but that's out of personal interest, I don't think it's critical to the story. Normally, not a fan of the MC being OP but it this case the OPness comes with some pretty big penalties. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3505 |
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I was sitting here struggling with what to write because I'm not sure how I feel about this one.
Part of the draw for isekai is the same as the draw of zombie apocalypses. It's pure fantasy bs where it's kind of fun to imagine not having to go to work or keep up with social obligations even though in reality, I wouldn't want to pop up in a forest full of monsters, or have some stranger telling me it was my job to face a demon lord, or having to scavenge for food while dodging walking corpses and cannibals. In other words, it's about imagining myself in the MC's shoes without worrying too much about the realities. I don't take this to the point where I enjoy fantasies where the MC basically snaps his fingers to make all problems disappear, has droves of love interests kissing his feet just because he's there, and has one lucky encounter after another against all odds or reason, but it's still a factor. That said, I'm also capable of enjoying isekai where I'm not putting myself in the MC's shoes too. I don't want to be a slime or vending machine for example. So there are some isekai where the draw is watching the protagonist be creative while figuring out how to function and find a niche, either because they're unusual or the world they're in has some bizarre conditions or challenges. Now me, I really don't want to be someone who's covered with hairy moles, is uncomfortable just walking, can't make money, and can't touch a member of the opposite sex without dying. So the wanting to put myself in the MC's place isn't really a factor. And as for creative problem solving, the MC can snap his fingers and make enemies go away right from the start. The world doesn't seem too original or bizarre either - so far it seems like a standard RPG goblin haus. The only real problem the MC has to solve is loneliness although granted, that's a big one, and he doesn't seem very proactive or creative in that department. All that said, I do find myself rooting for the MC and hoping he finds happiness and acceptance and all that even though he isn't really fighting for it yet and kind of did this to himself (the moral of the story - if you're going to perform an urban ritual on the off chance that it might be real, then go ahead and take it seriously - if you're in, you're in). And I'm a little intrigued trying to figure out if the other party member, Mr. Handsome, is even half what he appears to be or is as twisted as a corkscrew. Did I mention I'm not sure about this anime? But I'm interested enough to give it at least one more episode. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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It is indeed not mean spirited (thankfully), yet I am also not sold on it either. Whether I enjoy an isekai or not comes down to how interesting I find the world/setting, if the story is worth following and indeed just like Edjwald said: imagining yourself in the mc's position. All three of those aspects have not convinced me to keep watching, I am not willing to drop it either though.
Three episode rule I suppose. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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The second episode convinced me to watch more. Part of that is the party treating Shigeru pretty well. All four of them seem to be troubled individuals and given the isekai premise that makes sense but Seika and Seiji have proven themselves to be good people. Seika is not one for words but she helps where she can and Seiji is very serious about keeping his party safe (maybe a bit too serious even). Shigeru meanwhile is helping when necessary but is keeping his powers a secret for now.
As for the betrayel... no surprise there besides the hero transformation. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3505 |
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I agree that episode 2 was encouraging. It looks like the challenge for the MC will be keeping his OP-ness a secret while trying to help his party from the shadows, and that could be cool. The MC's tendency to hang back and watch events unfold kind of works in the anime's favor, IMHO, because we get to see thing through his jaded perspective. He's not like a bodiless narrator, but if this was an anime where the OP main character was front and center and just kicking eery ass in his way, it wouldn't be interesting.
I also find it interesting that the world is an active reincarnator junction, and there are signs of former isakai-ees left and right, making fast food restaurants and such. And as the bad guy pointed out, the isekai'd people in this world weren't just randomly snatched up because a god or goddess got careless while flinging lightning bolts around - they're here by choice because they wanted to escape the lives they'd wound up in back in their original world. It's like that old saw where you can't escape your problems by moving if the source of your problems is the decisions you make. That's an interesting tangent. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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As episode 3 showed the issue is not only for Shigeru to keep his OP-ness a secret but it is also about him keeping a handle on his sometimes unpredictable party members. Seiji has cleary drunk a bit too much of the cool-aid and as a result likes to scream about him being a hero while also being very naive. Seika meanwhile is very insecure and a tad unstable and Rizu is a mystery for now. It is shown that they are all good people but given the premise it makes sense for them to have issues. I like that Shigeru is shown to be a softie despite trying to act tough about walking away from the party (the setting is indeed interesting, a mix of modern conveniences and classic fantasy).
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Edjwald
Posts: 3505 |
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Not counting the returning Isekai (of which there are 3 or 4 depending on if you count Dr. Stone as one) there are several new ones as well. Water Magician, Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra, Onmyo Kaiten, Rebirth Verse, Turkey! Time to Strike! and this one. That would usually be enough to have people screaming about the isekai apocalypse, but that fact got lost in the large number of anime being released.,
And I'll say this, none of this season's new anime are the casual disgraces to the genre that were abundant while carpet bagging studios were acquiring rights to any isekai light novel they could get their hands on and making them as cheaply as possible. All of the summer 25 isekai are trying to stake their own claim to some unique territory even if their degree of successes vary. For example, I've never seen a group dynamic quite like the party that our MC has found himself in. I mean, I guess the overly caring, handsome, trying too hard leader reminds me a bit of Manato from Grimgar, Fantasy and Ash, but it's still a very different anime. |
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Cryten
 Posts: 1398 |
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Well that episode did not help the shows credibility. For a show with a premise remarkably similar to girl hating credo this episode featured a woman hurting other women for being pretty and repeating the idea that pretty girls are the only people believed, but are deceitful when they are not young and innocent or disadvantaged and in need of help.
If the AI incident turns out to be a girl AI being mean to other girls it will seal the deal. Can this show have a plot not about the nastiness of adult women? I had hoped it would spend more time disproving such notions but it hasn't gone their yet. How it handles things from here will be the most telling, will it rely on co-dependency and the males as its answer to a very complicated emotional issue? Will it sweep the issues under the rug? Or will we start exploring complex emotional hangups? |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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I personally see the show and its premise as showcasing how very flawed humans are (especially those making use of the option to move to another world/life). The gang are good people with plenty of issues on display and the other reincarnators they have met are even more flawed (like the coward from last week). Reiya's case feels like making clear that a moment of stupidity in creating your profile can have permanent consequences rather than her being a vile woman. She does not seem to relish in her having killed innocent women and considers it a curse of her own making.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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Those special notes really have a big influence on their new lives. Episode 5 showed Reya's wish having become a curse while Seika has the power to heal her friends. Seiji is a special case in that him having written his fantasy delusions makes for quite the result. It is hilarious how cringe he is about being a secret hero who always screams his name and needs like ten minutes to get the engine going.
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Cryten
Posts: 1398 |
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Novel concept but I have stopped enjoying the series. Feels a bit to mean spirited with how it treats characters as either stupid, hurt and world weary, or exploitative and greedy/evil. Its like a student philosopher took the lessons on greed and misunderstood it to mean everyone lacks morals outside of their personal desire.
Plotwise the special notes super powers for damaged people is wearing thin for me. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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It is kind of funny how despite Shigeru being an almighty god with many skills and buffed up stats he feels like the most grounded of his party abilities wise. After all, we now have a fiery revenger in addition to the already shown angel and loud winged hero. The premise I like because most sane and healthy people would not take the gamble to try and get into a different world. The result is a lot of damaged and desperate people crossing over, not to mention that giving special powers to people is already something that is unlikely to end well most of the time.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4987 |
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7:
Say what you will about Kajita but given his backstory and how he ended his previous life it makes sense for him to have become such a twisted creature. Being able to insta kill someone just because they have lied and without warning seems a little broken though. The hero meeting at the end was funny, Shigeru really is the most grounded of the group. |
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